Orchestra 14 [Voice post]

[voidtreckermods]

[The train has been flying steady for a few days now, the storm long behind them. Those vetran to the train will know it is days past when they should have had a mission, the pattern broken for the first time.

A few hours after the wake up announcement on Orchestra 14 there is another, as all the ICP's flash at the same time.]

Attention Voidtreckers. The Voidtrecker Express would like to make an apology. Voidtreckers may believe this is long overdue. The Voidtrecker Express listens to all feedback and suggestions, I am aware of voidtreckers opinions on many matters.

The false mission to lure us towards the Inspectors was not a tactic I had prepared for. Their skill in manufacturing a mission call was highly sophisticated. The ruse was not discovered until their shields were falling into place and though an attempt to evacuate was undertaken it was not possible to retrieve more than a small handful of you.

In escaping the Inspectors I was reckless and left us vulnerable to the void storm that we encountered. Though there were no long lasting repercussions as a result of that an apology must still be made for the harm done.

Voidtreckers are correct. I should be more open with you all. In the spirit of transparency I shall also inform voidtreckers that we have received a transmission from Voidscout Anan. It is currently being verified and checked to make sure it is real. The Voidtrecker Express has no wish to lead its voidtreckers into another trap. Once verified I shall release the transmission to you in full. Please be assured it is not a distress call. There is no danger detected.

Voidtreckers have accused the Voidtrecker Express of caring less about its current crew than the crew of old. That is untrue. The Voidtrecker knows all of its crew. Every loss is a regret. The Voidtrecker Express invites its voidtreckers to share their thoughts with it.

I open this channel to any questions. The Voidtrecker Express shall not answer the questions straight away but compile them and report back with those answers that can be shared.

Voidtreckers can share as well. What is it that voidtreckers wish the Voidtrecker Express to know?

(OOC: Replies can be given by voice or video like any normal ICP post. They can choose to reply 'to all' or 'to engine' to give a more private response.)

Comments

TRAINCHAT?!? what is this!

[mustknow]

Will you allow your current crew to make suggestions to worlds to visit that are in need of saving, as badly as any you've brought us to til now? As it is we have no control over our fates or our destinations, and it would be reassuring to many, perhaps, if we could at least help those we already know need saving alongside all those we don't know about.

[It's a small chance, but it's a chance. Thanatos' situation has nagged at him since he first heard about it.. and finally there's an opportunity to venture it forth.]

[voidtreckermods]

Missions follow very strict parameters. It would be unwise to offer when there would be little chance of success.

[tactlesstantei]

[Masumi doesn't hesitate; she misses her family dearly.]

A while back you gave us the chance to send messages out to the people we left back at our worlds. Is there any way to know those messages were received, or to hear back from them in return?

Besides that, what is my home system's number? [She's curious!]

[voidtreckermods]

There is not a way of knowing. I shall compile your other question.

[sevenyearsasleep]

What are the chances of us getting a car for livestock? I miss my horse, but, it wouldn't be fair to have her cooped up. I'm barely dealing with it myself.

But, uh, we could have cows for fresh milk, cuccos for fresh eggs--it'd be beneficial. Lots of fertilizer for the plants too.

...aslo, can we discuss the curfew thing?

[voidtreckermods]

I shall compile your suggestions.

What is it that Voidtrecker Link wishes to discuss about a curfew?

video->replyall

[blue_ice]

Is there anything more you can tell us about the people we've lost? Is there any record of the platform stops we've made, where we've lost them?

Re: video->replyall

[voidtreckermods]

I shall compile those questions. There is little known once a voidtrecker leaves the platform. They are lost to the Voidtrecker Express.

video -> reply all

[subcircuits]

[Quietly, because he knows this isn't going to be a popular question, but publicly because he doubts he's the only one wondering;] Is there anything we can do to strengthen our tethering to you, so we can stay? Some of us... really shouldn't return home.

[thawed_pride]

I must second this question. I have already witnessed one person disembark when his fate at home is something I would do much to prevent.

video - Replay All

[cureofmanyworlds]

Is there any way we can, y'know, dump the curfew? I mean, a lot of us are adults. It's not fair to treat all of us like children being sent to bed at a set time.

Re: video - Replay All

[voidtreckermods]

It is a safety protocol.

[schrodingersghost]

I know we had that chance earlier to send a message home. But is there any way for us to find out what has been going on there while we've been gone?

But also kind of related. Is there a reason that we were the ones who got picked as voidtreckers?

[voidtreckermods]

I shall compile your questions.

[yondu]

Will we be able to talk to her when we get there or send a message back?

[First priority of question right there.]

[voidtreckermods]

By her does voidtrecker Yondu Udonta mean the voidscout Anan?

[controlsthedie]

[ People have already asked questions he wants to know, but he will try to ask something new. Even if his first question is specific to his situation. ]

Thank you for this chance to speak. I have two questions.

One, is there any way that one can return home to deal the fallout of their absence on their world? Anything we can do to prevent the collapse of life or at least let that life no longer suffer?

Two, what are the criteria to sort Voidtreckers to each team? There are some members who are placed on one team but do not participate in the team's missions. It seems contrary to placing them with that team to begin with.

[voidtreckermods]

Currently there is not a way to return you safely to your homes. I have compiled your other questions to be answered later.

[wewillwewill]

[The following questions use the 'reply to all' option.]
We toil under your directives as if we are criminals, with little recompense and no allowance to know much of matters beyond the confines of this train. We are left to pray for sufficient points on your internal system, through which even basic items can be an exorbitant amount. Granted, perhaps the means to procure these items, particularly those from our original worlds may require such expense, there are no alternatives presented.

While the recordings indicate your function once served as punishment for those that broke the law of your original system, why do we suffer the same treatment? Why do you keep us ignorant of the greater world which you have contact with?

Pray do not answer by pointing out the library. A search for titles with little or no context that may or may not be present is no replacement for a solid foundation of this realm's common knowledge.

Do you respond to the directives of another or compulsions because of your programming? Or do you see this as fitting treatment, fearing what we might do if we were capable of moving without dependence on you? Pray explain your motives and drive to treat us as you do and whether you intend to continue letting us live in ignorance.

I would also ask whether this applies to summoning your current crew without their consent. Is it by your own will or another's? And why, in your words, do you do this?

There is more I would like to ask as well, if you'll allow me to continue.

[voidtreckermods]

Consent is always important voidtrecker Elidibus.

Your questions are compiled. You may ask others.

Reply all

[motherofresistance]

First of all I'd like to thank you for taking the time to talk with us like this. It's good to know that our suggestions and messages are being heard and considered even if everyone's requests can't be granted.

I do have a few questions though. First, if someone who had been brought here from a world other than their world of origin were to become untethered and leave the train, would they end up back in their original world or the world they were summoned here from? It's relevant to me, and I suspect others here as well.

Second, what are the criteria for someone to be potentially brought aboard, and how do you locate them across dimensions to begin with? Given the sheer number of beings and dimensions involved, I expect that it can't be completely random, but it would be helpful to know a bit more about the selection process, if possible.

And third, is there anything we can do to help facilitate more direct communication with you like this in the future? Not only would it help build trust between yourself and the crew, but it would also make it significantly easier for us to assist you if the situation required it.

Re: Reply all

[voidtreckermods]

It is unknown where those untethered currently are. The Voidtrecker Express has no way of tracking those untethered beyond the barriers.

I have compiled your other questions.

Reply All

[springforth]

Thank you for speaking with us again. I had meant to ask you a few things earlier this month, but now we can do it like this.

[She reads off a short list in her notebook] Is there a way to get more varied foodstuffs each month? I'm supplementing from my greenhouse, but we don't really have a way to get things like cheeses or yogurt, other grains and alternatives proteins when the menu provided is very heavy. This month is octopus and while some found it very exciting, those of us who don't eat meat or just don't like seafood were left without much in the way of protein until we buy some ourselves at the next stop.

Why are some additions voted on and some are not? I'm sure additions have gotten consistent votes for months, but not enough to win, and while unlikely to garner majority support, they would be helpful. I'd love for another greenhouse car so I could grow some grains or just two levels on this one so we could have twice as much growing space, even if the height is limited. I know some have wanted an art car as long as I've been here. I'm aware that we can't have everything we desire, the train would be longer than most roads, but it feels a little disingenuous to require us to vote on cars that give us private space in the same breath as pools and art. Some are things that I would imagine don't need to be voted on. I wrote down the choices in the last poll and--clocks? Is anyone going to chose this over the other options? Isn't it something we should be given without having to vote on it?

I can understand that some things are needs. More space to eat. A triage car for bad missions. You seem to take things that are selfless more seriously and I do understand that. But quality of life improvements aren't selfish. Having a place for arts or crafts is never going to win over more practical concerns like labs or private rooms. Practical--that's what bothered me. That practical things are placed on the same poll as things that would just make people happy.

I--went a little long, sorry. I'll let others ask things now.

[light_of_willpower]

No, it's a good concern and I'm glad you brought it up. I've been pondering that too. I admit my own practical concern would be for a bathing car--with baths AND showers, besides just what we have in the sleeper cars. The Spa car isn't really the same. But having more space in the greenhouse so we could grow stuff would be useful, and honestly? We want to do more than just "survive" on the train, which means quality of life improvements as well as practical.

[myninjainfocard]

In response, or clarification to other responses, re: curfew...

What if there were designated spots one could stay? Such as it makes little sense to me if someone is being attended to by medical personnel and they are returned to their cabin. Yes, I know, safety protocol and voidsickness (please elaborate on that one, if possible), but would it not make more sense to keep those there there? For their own health and safety.

[voidtreckermods]

Those registered to dedicated medical carriages are reset to those cabins and not to their own designated sleeping cabin.

So far the Voidtrecker Express can report no cases of voidsickness among current crew. Preventative measures are effective.

reply all; from sports gym

[blitzcheer]

[ Well isn't this a thing to hear. Tidus is cautious to hear from the train, all that's said that he catches. He idly chews the side of his cheek, pondering what to say. Almost wondering if there's a point, considering all he's already said.

...

... but the train can put up with him some more!! ]

How often is this gonna happen? 'Cause the silence after the first time you did something like this seriously sucked. And you playing games with questions recent, too.

[voidtreckermods]

Apologies voidtrecker Tidus. It takes a lot of processing power to run this program. No games are to be implied.

reply to all

[flatteries]

Are you planning on ignoring all future attempts at communication by the Inspectors, like you have until now?

You shouldn't. They promised to help us look for the people who are missing. If every loss really is a regret to you, you should understand how important that is.

[voidtreckermods]

Do you trust them, voidtrecker Inigo?

Reply all

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Oh hey, this is unexpected. But not unwelcome. What to ask though, now that he has the chance? Or rather, what to ask that someone else hasn't already asked?]

So... it's good to hear from you again, VT. I mean really hear from you, not just automated announcements. A lot of what I wanted to know other people already asked, but I do have a couple questions.

First of all, if and when we manage to find your original crew and get them back, is that it for us, job done? That is, are we all gonna get sent home after that pretty much automatically? Or is it gonna be all of us here together for awhile, old and new crew?

Second, is there a way to make the person to person comms we have on the SCAs for missions work onboard too? I know Vexen's trying to figure a way to hook our gummiphones into the comm system for the same reason, but it'd probably be easier if we could just use something everyone already had. And probably better for you too; would that be weird for you, by the way, if he did manage to hook the gummiphones into the ICP comm network?

And well, this one's more a request, but could we get some basic kinds of meat as a regular feature of the supply restocks, even when it isn't the monthly ingredient? I know there are a few people on board who are strict vegetarians, but it'd be a nice way for everyone else to have a little more variety, you know?

Re: Reply all

[voidtreckermods]

I shall take all those questions and suggestions and compile them for the report of answers to be given. Though your first question is very speculative, there is no clear answer.

[its_dad_sanzo]

...You should prove you're really you and not something else using the network. Maybe a choo-choo?

[ On the surface, this is a very silly request. But as most things with Koumyou, under the surface it's actually quite a bit more.

And also still silly. ]

[voidtreckermods]

[A horn sounds throughout the train.]

That sound pleases you, voidtrecker Koumyou Sanzo?

Video, reply all

[so_dark_a_road]

Thank you for communicating with us directly. This is greatly appreciated, and I hope there will be more such sessions in the future. And thank you for your kindly apologies. Though I can understand how you fell into the trap prepared for us by the Ministry. I wasn't on that mission and so wasn't interrogated and don't know how I'd have reacted. But it is very thoughtful of you to think about how your passengers must have felt.

I don't think you are responsible for our encounter with the Voidstorm. You had to escape, and how could you have known that the storm was in your path until it was too late to evade it?

I'm looking forward to that transmission from Anan. I think she is an amazing person and a very proficient Voidscout.

I have long suspected that you do care about your current crew as much as you cared about your original crew. This net post demonstrates that, at least it does for me. As does your assertion that you want to be more open with us.

And as for questions, I have one. Do you have an ultimate goal in mind? These missions sometimes seem to point to a goal or goals. Is there some place you want to go, in the end? And how can we help you with that? I would be happy to stay with you until you achieve that goal, and to do anything I can to assist.

Re: Video, reply all

[voidtreckermods]

We must put right what is wrong. We must find what has been lost. We must restore what never should have been broken. We must fix this.

[jingyeets]

Oh, Voidtrecker Express, some of us haven't had problems sharing all this time. You have the energy to keep up with me?

( voice for voice, though he has no concept how the train 'sees' any of them, beyond assuming it does. where is he even for this? stopped back by his cabin picking up a change of clothing, perhaps, and seated on the edge of his bunk and glaring at the ICP as a convenient point.

'til he flops back and stares at the ceiling, equally valid a point of 'train' to stare at with all the mustered force of a twenty-one year old mightily tired and unimpressed with this nonsense. )

[voidtreckermods]

There is always energy to listen to you voidtrecker Lan Jingyi.

video

[weifinder]

( wei wuxian sits down with tea in his hands, or at least a mug with tea poured in, from the teapot on the table with him. it's one of the ICP terminals in the dining area, and he leans forward, barely looking awake, and smiles, eyes narrowing as he does. )

Nice to hear you're talking with the lot of us Trainlings directly, Voidtrecker Express. Does that make Express your shortened name? Since you're calling us all Voidtreckers. Glad to hear Anan's hopefully reached out and is doing well, Anan is a good scout and a help to all of us as well as the people we managed to save on Diagad. Will we be able to send Anan anything in return to acknowledge we've heard the message once it's been examined for authenticity?

( not important, but idle curiosity winds its way into what he speaks, even as he's studying... what? there's nothing to see, just a blank screen active to show it's in use, and yet it's what he has to examine. so he does, listening, considering, before he speaks, in a measured, slow cadence of thoughtfulness: )

What determines that an answer cannot be shared?

Re: video

[voidtreckermods]

You may call me what you wish voidtrecker Wuxian Wei.

A communication attempt with voidscout Anan may be necessary.

If the risks are too high, that would determine an answer cannot be shared.

Reply to All

[10billionpercent]

[ Senku's been listening, it's not that strange of course he is because some of the responses are somewhat expected. He might be heard sighing because sometimes he'd like to hear a non shitty answer, just for once. ]

I appreciate you responding. [ He's not exactly one for thank yous, but he's been invited to ask questions, he's going to ask questions. ]

I do have several questions, if I've got your attention. I've heard you talk about how you don't know what happens when we leave and that going home may not actually be where we're going. What factor is it that makes our tether unstable? Presumably, if we had a stable tether, like regular voidtreckers, we could uncouple it and return home if we wanted to, could we not?

Secondly, why do you control the information we have access to? There are many subjects I've attempted to get information about and have been blocked in the system, and since even you know more about say, voidsickness, the information must exist. You know who I am and you know that not only is everyone's safety a personal priority of mine, but you also know that I can perform so much better with more information.

What qualifies as a catastrophe, and at what point would my world qualify, when all sentient beings are being held hostage by one force and has been taken to the point of near-extinction? You realize I'd be a lot less apprehensive about helping you if everyone I knew wasn't technically enslaved from now until eternity to some unknown being, right?

If you cannot get us home, how did you actually come to pick us up? What makes you think that those we know are not actually from the same place? What scientific information do you have to back up these claims?

What is your point of origin, and what's stopping you from going there so we can refresh our tethers to battle voidsickness? Correct me if I'm wrong, we are at risk the longer that doesn't happen, are we not? The time in the train, it's based on that world, is it not?

Why is the engine room inaccessible, and what harm would it do to allow us access? What would you do if we decided to just not participate in your missions?

Lastly, for the moment, why the hell can't we have documentaries in the movie carriage? Not everyone finds learning new things to be boring or detrimental to their health, you know.

Re: Reply to All

[voidtreckermods]

I shall add your questions to the list of those that are to be answered.

Apologies that the entertainment is not up to your standard voidtrecker Senku Ishigami. It is not a matter of control. I shall note your suggestions.

Reply All; before the "what do you mean, we can't go home" conversation

[fivemilesdeep]

[He's at the ICP in the kitchen; it looks like between-meals cleanup has been abandoned in favor of this conversation.]

I know Persephone already brought it up, but we really do need space to grow more food, if we can make the greenhouse car bigger or get a second one. We could also use more in our usual supplies - cheese would be good, and maybe some kind of meat? Chicken or deer or something like that. I don't know how you choose monthly ingredients, but if it's a weird one, or one that a lot of people can't or won't eat, then it gets difficult to feed everyone between platforms.

How do you choose the monthly ingredient, by the way? Can we make suggestions?

...um. [His own tangent has thrown him. Persephone came prepared for this; he obviously did not. There's a moment or two of silence, as he tries to pull his thoughts together, and he finally comes up with something - questions he'd asked the train a while ago.]

Um! How do you choose teams for everyone? Is it possible to switch someone to another team? You put me on orange team, but I think I've only ever gone on a mission with my team once, and every other time I go with someone else. Wouldn't it make more sense to just put me on another team?

[Yeah, he remembers asking to be switched to purple team way back when.]

[He also remembers a question he'd asked much more recently:]

And...are you okay? What can we do to help you?

[voidtreckermods]

I shall take those suggestions on board. If you have food suggestions they can be submitted on the Feedback and Suggestion post of the Information and Communication Points.

I shall add your questions to the list.

Sorry mine are so late!

[najaran]

[Gremlin had pulled Najaran over, showed her the message. Her jaw dropped, then she lunged forward to respond.]

"Please! How can I wear my SCA without it being able to kidnap me back against my will? Or better yet, to save everyone from the world we were trying to saved be brought here too? We can all put up with extra people if we can get them to a safe place and help them resettle again!" [She was desperate.] "I want to wear my SCA so I can help more people, but I can't just leave people behind who need us to save myself. Please!"

[Yeah, she was ugly crying now.]

[voidtreckermods]

My systems could not handle an entire worlds people. The safety features of the SCA cannot be removed.

[death_from_above]

"People who wouldn't choose to leave keep leaving. And we have no say over who comes back. If we're really supposed to be helping people, why is the train taking do nothing slackers like me and leaving behind actual heroes? Why are people who were actually useful leaving while others who do nothing useful stick around?"

[voidtreckermods]

I do not cause people to leave. Everyone is here for a reason, voidtrecker Spark.

[guru_clef]

"Thank you for communicating with us again. Does this mean that our attempts to raise additional energy were successful? I know Nota specifically was working on that...." [Before she left.]

"Additionally, is there a way that we can help to modify the SCA, or create an additional device, to prevent mental tampering, such as we experienced on a recent world and often encounter during Storms? I would be willing to aid in such an endeavor."

[voidtreckermods]

I have added your questions to the list.